Carrying case for firearm



. Oct. 22, 1963 D. A. VAUGHN CARRYING CASE FOR FIREARM Filed May 21, 1959 INVENTOR. Dana 19. VIM/6. BY 1 W flflazfisr I rifle on a sling which is looped over a shoulder.

United States Patent 3,107,833 CARRYING CASE FOR FIREARM Damon A. Vaughn, Dixon, Ky. Filed May 21, 1959, Ser. No. 814,788 2 Claims. (Cl. 224-2) The present invention relates to a carrying case for a firearm and more particularly to a new and improved case for such use which is easily secured to the waist of the user and which affords safe yet readily accessible storage for a rifle or any other type gun.

As is well known, it has been the custom heretofore for hunters, military personnel or the like to carry their Such previous carrying methods oftentimes resulted in damage to the weapon and, in any event, proved cumbersome and ineflective, particularly when traveling across certain obstacles and rough terrain.

By virtue of the instant invention, the applicant has provided a novel carrying case for a firearm which may be readily secured to a conventional belt positioned around the waist of the user and which permits the effective carrying of the desired weapon, such as a rifle, for example, close to the body, proximate the shoulder and at a rearwardly inclined angle. Moreover, the applicants novel carrying case permits the immediate removal of the rifle therefrom when desired for use.

In a further modification of the invention, the applicant provides alternate rotatable mounting arrangements for securing the carrying case to the belt around the waist of the user, which rotatable mounting arrangements permit the ready pivotal movement of the carrying case from its normal position adjacent the body towards a horizontal position, and which, in one form, automatically returns the carrying case to its normal position. In the preferred embodiment, the carrying case is made from leather which is constructed to principally receive the barrel end of a rifle, with the action trigger mechanism being on the outside thereof for ready use.

Accordingly, a principal object of the present invention is to provide a carrying case for a firearm which is readily positioned adjacent the body of the user.

' Another object of the present invention is to provide a carrying case for a firearm which maintains the firearm in a position of safety and comfort for the user during movement, but yet which permits the ready withdrawal of the firearm therefrom for immediate use.

A further and more general object of the invention is to provide a carrying case for a firearm which serves to protect the components forming the weapon carried therein durin use over obstacles and in rough terrain.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable mounting arrangement for use in conjunction with a carrying case for a firearm which permits the ready rotation of the case to afford the rapid Withdrawal of the weapon therefrom, and which automatically returns the carrying case to its normal position adjacent the body of the user.

Other objects and a better understanding of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of the carrying case forming the instant invention positioned on the belt of the user;

FIG. 2 is a view in horizontal section, taken at line 22 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of the mounting arrangement;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation, partially fragmentary, of an alternate form of carrying case and a rotatable mounting arrangement therefor;

FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken at line a should 3,107,833 Patented Oct. 22, 1963 4-4 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of the alternate form of carrying case;

FIG. 5 is a view in horizontal section, taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing details of the rotatable mounting arrangement; and,

FIG. 6 is a view in horizontal section showing an alternate form of rotatable mounting arrangement.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be'made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the applicants novel carrying case 10 comprises a base member 12, which, in a preferred embodiment, is made from leather. The leather forming the base member 12 is folded, and the bottom and side edges thereof are stitched together to form a case having an open end which is adapted to receive a rifle or other weapon. For purposes of strength 10 has an outer member 14 stitched onto the base mem ber 12. Disposed between the outer member 14 and the base member 12 is an irregularly shaped hook having two free end portions 15a which extend from openings 14a in the outer member 14 and which are adapted to be received in holes or openings 17a in a belt 17 surrounding the Waist of the person using the carrying case.

It should be understood that in the typical manufacture of the carrying case of FIGS. 1 and 2, the free end portions 15a of the hook 15 are positioned to extend through the holes 14a in the outer member 14, and the outer member 1-4 is then stitched onto the base member 12. It should further be understood that the rifle is received into the carrying case 10 so that the barrel end thereof is disposed adjacent the folded edge of the carrying case, i.e. to the viewer's left in FIG. 1, and the end of the rifle including the trigger mechanism and stock extend from the open end thereof. By having the action mechanism positioned as described hereabove, the rifle may be readily grasped for immediate use.

In use, the free end portions 15a of the hook 15 which extend from the carrying case 10 are inserted into the desired openings 17a in the belt 17, and the belt 17 is then secured to the users waist in a normal fashion. It be apparent from the figures that the applicants novel carrying case 10 is disposed at a rearward angle with reference to the belt 17, and to the body of the user, so that the rifle or other weapon is carried at a preferred position adjacent the users body proximate a shoulder.

FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 disclose an alternate form of carrying case 20 which is designed primarily for those type of weapons having a magazine and/or an outwardly extending bolt or operating handle.v The alternate type of carrying case 20 is similar to that disclosed in FIG. 1, with like parts bearing the same reference numeral; however, instead of the case being stitched along the whole free side edges thereof, the upper end portion is open and cut out at 2011, so that the magazine of the rifle being carried can extend from and through the cutout portion. It should be understood that the carrying case 20 is stitched from the bottom of the cutout portion 2% along the side and bottom edges thereof, in the manner described above in connection with the structure of FIG. 1.

To accommodate other types of rifles, the upper portion of the carrying case of FIG. 3 has a slot 2% disposed in a side thereof, which slot 20b is adapted to receive a bolt or operating handle extending from a rilie being carried. A leather strip 26c, secured at one end to one side wall of the carrying case, extends around and in front of the cutout portion 20a, and hence the rifle positioned in the case. The other end of the strip 26c may be fastened by conventional means, as by a snap, for example, to the other side of the carrying case 2% (see FIG. 4).

In order for the upper portion of the carrying case 20 to have more rigidity, the preferred embodiment of this form of the applicants novel carrying case includes a sheet member 18, preferably aluminum or similar material, between the outer member 14 and the base member 12. The sheet member 18 extends from the top of the carrying case 2% to a line approximately at the bottom of the cutout upper portion 20%: thereof.

Referring now to FIG. 5, the applicant has provided a novel rotatable mounting arrangement, shown in conjunction with the carrying case 29 of FIG. 3, which per.-

mits the rotation of the carrying case 2% from its normal position shown in FIG. 3 towards a more horizontal position to permit ease in withdrawing the rifle therefrom. The particular rotatable mounting mechanism includes a collar button type connecting member comprising two generally equal diameter discs 25a and 25b separated by astem portion 25c. In the preferred embodiment, a recessed area 18a is provided in the sheet member 18 to receive the disc 25a of the connecting member 25. The stem 25c of the connecting member 25 extends through the outer member 14 of the carrying case 21?, and through a belt member 26 which has two vertically extending slots 26a disposed proximate either end thereof for receiving the users belt 17. The other disc 2552 of the connecting member 25 is then disposed between the users belt 17 and the belt member 26 to provide an efiective mounting unit. Thus, it should be apparent from the above that the carrying case 20 is maintained in position by the belt 17 around the Waist of the user and that the case 21 is rotatable about the axis defined by the stem 250 of the connecting member 25.

A further refinement of the rotatable mechanism of FIG. 5 is disclosed in FIG. 6 wherein a generally similar structure is shown which includes, however, ear-like portions on the disc 25b which gradually end as downwardly and inwardly extending hooks ZSbb which, as in the instance of the carrying case of FIG. 1, are adapted to extend into the holes 17a provided in the users belt 17. It should be apparent from the above that the belt element 26 is not necessary with this type of mounting arrangement.

In order to provide a generally automatic operation to the rotating mounting arrangement disclosed in FIG. 6, for example, one end of a torsion spring 28 may be received in a hole or opening in the sheet member 18 adjacent the recessed portion 18a thereof which receives the disc 25a of the connecting member 25 and/ or through a hole or opening extending through the topportion of the carrying case 20. The other end'of the torsion spring 28 is secured in any desired fashion, as by welding, for example, to the flat end surface of the disc 2511. With such an arrangement of components, the carrying case may be tilted forwardly towards a horizontal direction in order to provide easier access to the rille disposed therein, as before, but afterthe rifle has been removed, or in the instance where the rifle has again been placed in the d carrying case, the case automatically returns to its rear: wardly tilted position due to the action of the torsion spring 28.

It should be apparent from the preceding that the applicant has provided novel forms of carrying case for a firearm which may be fixedly or rotatably mounted onto a belt around the waist of the user and which positions the stored riflle adjacent the body, proximate the shoulder and at a rearwardly inclined angle with reference to the body of the user. In one form of the invention, spring means are provided to return the carrying case from any position towards horizontal to its normally rearwardly tilted position.

The novel carrying cases and mounting arrangements disclosed herein are susceptible to numerouschanges within the spirit of the invention. For example, obviously changes in material and overall physical pro portioning rcanbe made, and, if desired, rings can be added to the upper portion of the case for receiving,

shoulder straps to provide added versatility. Moreover,

it should be noted that a pouch can be secured to a side of the case for receiving a bayonet for military use.

In addition, the carrying case can be out and joined so that the seam thereof is disposed in the side panel adjacent the users body, and an opening may be provided in a flap forming a part of the side wall of the case for receiving the operating handle and/or magazine. Thus, the above description should be considered as illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim: V

1. A carrying case tor a firearm comprising an elon: gated body member having an upwardly opening end adapted to receive said firearm therein, a connecting member having a disc-like end portion secured to said carrying case, a body portion forming part of said connecting member, and a hooked end portion on said connecting member adapted to be received on a support member for said carrying case, whereby said carrying case is rotatable about an axis define-d by said body portion of said connecting member, and spring means having one end secured to a portion of said carrying case and another end secured to said connecting member urging said carrying case to a preselected carrying position.

2. A carrying case for a firearm comprising an elongated body member having an upwardly opening end adapted to receive said firearm therein, a connecting member rotatably engaging said body member and extending therefrom, said connecting member having means thereon adapted to secure said carrying case on a support member, and spring means operative between said connecting member and said body member urging said carrying case to a preselected carrying position.

I References (Jited in the file of this patent 

2. A CARRYING CASE FOR A FIREARM COMPRISING AN ELONGATED BODY MEMBER HAVING AN UPWARDLY OPENING END ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID FIREARM THEREIN, A CONNECTING MEMBER ROTATABLY ENGAGING SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING THEREFROM, SAID CONNECTING MEMBER HAVING MEANS THEREON ADAPTED TO SECURE SAID CARRRYING CASE ON A SUPPORT MEMBER, AND SPRING MEANS OPERATIVE BETWEEN SAID CONNECTING MEMBER AND SAID BODY MEMBER URGING SAID CARRYING CASE TO A PRESELECTED CARRYING POSITION. 